[ 41 ] 2013

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"What if he changes his mind? What if he decides to actually take her side? Its a pretty tempting offer."

-

The group of teens in costumes made their way across the street. From a small distance, they could already hear the blaring music and they could see people outside, drinking beer and talking. Harley saw a familiar car pull up and park on the curb of the house where Calum used to live. She told the others to go in and she'd catch up, to which they agreed with a nod. 

Calum emerged from his car, dressed as Captain America. Harley approached him with a smile. "I thought you weren't coming." She said.

The boy with raven hair gave a shrug of his shoulders. "I kind of had to. Niall and Andrea are my friends." Taking in her costume, he shot her a smirk, "Daddy's Lil Monster, eh? Can I be daddy?"

Harley rolled her eyes at him. "I already have a dad."

Still, a smile formed on her lips and they walked into the house together.

-

Luke was standing on one side of the living room in the crowded house, a beer in hand. He was surrounded by other populars from St. Genevieve's, but his attention was elsewhere. He was looking at Phoebe, who was across the room, with John. 

The others were nowhere to be found, they had separated during the party to prevent Phoenix from following them later when they were going to meet. 

The blue eyed boy glared at Phoenix and John.

Harley had told Luke a lie, that Phoenix was already dating someone. And he now thought she was dating John Medina. They were talking and had been spending time together since they arrived at the party. Luke Hemmings couldn't stand it. He could not accept the fact that another had what he wanted.

What he didn't know was that John had no interest in Phoenix.

With a beer can in hand and a smile on her face, Phoenix tried to make conversation with John. There was no one else to talk to since Harley had separated from the group to wait for Calum, and the others had just disappeared. But Phoenix felt the hostility whenever she was around them. Most of them didn't like her, they had taken Hazel's side because Phoenix was responsible for her break up with Luke.

Leaning a bit closer to him, she yelled over the blaring music, "So John, are you single?"

He shook his head and replied with a polite smile. "No, I have a girlfriend, actually. Her name is Marializ and she lives in Guadalajara. I met her at the university."

"I bet she misses you." Phoenix pointed out.

"I call her all the time." John explained, "And its not like I won't return. I'm only here to spend the Christmas holiday with my brother. He's the only family I have, and I haven't seen him in months."

Already with a couple of drinks in him, Luke had decided to confront Phoenix and her supposed boyfriend. But first, he wanted to have one last attempt at trying to convince Phoenix to date him. The blonde haired boy chugged down the rest of his beer, handed the empty bottle to one of his mates nearby, and pushed past them, headed towards Phoebe Nixon.

When she was just within his reach, he reached out to grab her arm. "I want to talk to you." He said to her, which sounded more like an order than a request.

Luke Hemmings was used to always getting what he wanted.

"Luke!" Phoenix complained, wincing in pain. "Let go."

In the next second, John interfered. "Don't touch her." He warned the blue eyed boy. During the short walk to the party, his older brother Paul had asked him to watch over Phoenix, as a favor for Harley. He wasn't very close with Harley Quinn, but John didn't like to deny a girl help whenever she needed it. He didn't want something to happen to Phoenix, on his watch, or else he'd have felt responsible for it.

Luke completely ignored John, saying to Phoenix, "You didn't want to date me, but this guy shows up and you're so quick to date him." He accused her bitterly, his words full of venom.

Neither John nor Phoenix knew what he was talking about, and it was evident on their faces. Luke didn't notice their confusion at all. He was too upset and drunk to notice. He had already gotten his revenge on Billy Quinn for taking Phoenix from him, and he wasn't above doing anything to hurt John Medina.

"I don't know what you're talking about." John assured the angered teenager. "But you need to let go of her arm right now, friend." The university student's voice sounded menacing, yet firm. He didn't want to start a problem with anyone.

"And you need to learn better english." Luke mocked, a smirk played on his lips as he saw the other young man's costume. "Or better yet, go back to wherever you're from, mariachi boy."

That was when John Medina snapped. He wasn't one to heat up quickly during an argument, but when it came to his accent and his country, he was willing to defend himself within instants. Now fuming with anger, he pulled Phoenix back, out of Luke's hold and stood in front of her protectively. He quickly pushed the sleeves of his mariachi jacket up his arms and pulled his hand back into a first, shooting a punch at Luke which initiated the fight.

-

In another room in the house, a group of teenagers were gathered. They were Harley, Calum, Michael, Hazel, Jack, Niall and Andrea. None of them knew why Harley and Calum had asked them to gather together, but they were about to find out.

Harley began after taking a breath, "We need your help."

When she knew she had their full attention, she continued, "Claire wants Ashton to help her kill Calum, and we don't know why. But we have a plan."

"Who is Claire?" Dempsey asked, confused.

"My grandmother." Harley explained. "She died a long time ago, but her spirit was still lingering around Calum's house. And she doesn't want to go without taking someone with her. So we're making her think Ashton will help her, but he'll actually be helping us." 

"So," Paúl concluded based on her explanation, "Your whole strategy is based on whether your ghost friend will help us or not?" The Mexican hunter was not fully convinced. He had known many people, very few who he could trust. And Paúl was aware that Ashton was in love with Harley Quinn. He didn't find it completely unlikely, but he thought there was a chance the ghost could change his mind to get Harley.

"I trust Ashton." Harley assured.

Dempsey was the one to point out exactly what Paúl was thinking. "What if he changes his mind? What if he decides to actually take her side? Its a pretty tempting offer."

"Ashton is on our side." Harley said, repeating her thought that she trusted Ashton. She knew he was trustworthy. In her eyes, Ashton could do no wrong, and she knew he wouldn't be capable of betraying anyone. That just wasn't the way he was.

"Still," Michael spoke up, "We need to think of all the possibilities. I don't personally care for Calum, but I couldn't live with myself if something happened to Harley."

"I don't care about you either." Calum glared at Michael.

"So this is the plan..." Harley started, and everyone listened.

-

Once Harley and Calum had informed everyone about the plan, the group returned to the party. They all separated, but found each other meeting up in the kitchen where a crowd of people were piled up. Sitting at one of the kitchen chairs was John, and Phoenix was with him, holding an ice pack to his nose. 

Luke was in another chair close by, surrounded by concerned class mates, mostly girls, who were trying to help him feel better. Harley rolled her eyes when she saw that Phoenix was involved, and she was sure her friend had everything to do with the fight that had broken out.

John had a bloody nose, while Luke had gotten off with a black eye and a busted lip. It seemed that Luke had gotten the worst of the blows.

Paúl pushed past everyone to get to his brother. "What happened here?" He asked the two boys. His voice sounded full of authority. Though he was only twenty, he already worked as a teacher's assistant and the teens at St. Genevieve's respected him.

"This motherfucker is trying to steal my girl." Luke gestured to John angrily, wincing when he spoke due to his busted lip.

The hunter was already upset that his brother had gotten into a fight, but he was made angrier when Luke called his brother a name. He rushed forward, cutting the distance between him and Luke. No one had seen Paúl Medina so angry, only Dempsey and Michael who were his friends, as well as his brother John. Grabbing a fist full of Luke's shirt, he hissed, "John is my brother, asshole." Letting go of Luke, he added, "I would beat you up for that, but it seems my brother did a pretty good job already."

Luke glared at the two brothers, but said nothing. Instead, he got up from his chair and left the kitchen, his friends followed after him like sheep.

When the crowd dispersed, Paúl looked to his brother. "I can't believe you, Jairo. Why would you get into a fight?" He scolded his younger brother.

"You asked me to watch over Phoenix." John reasoned. "That guy was bothering her. I needed to do something. And then he made fun of my accent, and told me to go back to Mexico. He can call me anything he wants, but if he mocks my accent and my country, he'd better be ready to accept the consequences." He pulled the ice pack away from his nose and brought a tissue to his nose to wipe away the blood.

Dropping his hand on his brother's shoulder harshly, he said to John, "Relax, boy hero. You're not Juan Escutia."

**just a little history lesson for you all: juan escutia was a boy hero, from mexico. i dont know the story super well, but during the mexican american war, the americans tried to invade a military academy for young boys called chapultepec castle. and so, a group of six boys fought back. one by one, they were captured and killed. but the last of them, juan escutia, took the mexican flag, wrapped himself in it and jumped from the top of the school building because he didn't want it to fall into enemy hands. and those brave boys were known as the boy heroes, and they are remembered every 13th of september.**

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i had to cut this chapter because it was getting too long. but yeah, i hope you liked it. i dont want to let you all know what the plan is yet because i want to build some suspense. but guise, there are about eleven more chapters before this book ends and i will start the new one!

and again, i would like to thank you all for the support because without you this wouldn't be possible. that's not even me being a kiss ass bitch, okay? this is legit, the real deal. if one of you was no longer reading or voting, it would truly make a difference. so that is why i want to let you all know that i really appreciate you. 

question of the day: what do you all think of donald trump? i can't stand that man. mostly because i am american, i was born here, but my parents were born in mexico, making me mexican. and this mother fucker has been saying so much shit about my people, and im about to slap a hoe. he says that we are rapists, thieves, murderers...last time i checked, i am nonw of those things. also, there are rapists, thieves, and murderers of all races, so... he needs to shut up. he also said he wants to kick my people out. well, mr trump, i will return to mexico with my family when you and your family return to wherever you are originally from bc none of us are truly american. the only true americans here are the natives. if anything, it was mexican land first, before usa took it by force. so this guy just talks out of his ass.  

thank you for reading. i love you all!

i know i owe four of you a dedication chap still. i will do that asap ^.^

-clary xx